SUPPLY-VOLTAGE CONTROL FOR DEVICE POWER MANAGEMENT

摘要

One embodiment provides a method for reducing leakage current in device logic having an operational supply-voltage threshold, a nonzero data-retention supply-voltage threshold, and two or more on-die transistor switches to switchably connect a voltage source to the device logic. After the logic enters an idle period, one or more of the switches are opened to lower a supply voltage of the logic below the operational supply-voltage threshold but above the data-retention supply-voltage threshold. When the logic exits the idle period, one or more of the switches are closed to raise the supply voltage of the logic above the operational supply-voltage threshold.

主权项

1. A method for reducing leakage current in logic having an operational supply-voltage threshold for maintaining operation, a nonzero data-retention supply-voltage threshold for retaining data, and two or more on-die transistor switches to switchably connect a voltage source to the logic, the method comprising:
after the logic enters an idle period, opening one or more of the switches to lower a supply voltage of the logic below the operational supply-voltage threshold but above the data-retention supply-voltage threshold; and when the logic exits the idle period, closing one or more of the switches to raise the supply voltage of the logic above the operational supply-voltage threshold.